Political Science Student Opportunities
Students studying political science at Carthage have many opportunities to enrich their education.
Model UN
Political science majors are often interested in Model UN at Carthage, a student-run organization that seeks to introduce students to global issues and the inner workings of the United Nations. Students participate in simulations of the Security Council, General Assembly, and the Economic and Social Council. Participants travel to conferences and engage in negotiations and debates about global issues that are being discussed by world leaders today. The organization is for students interested in politics, economics, history, philosophy, geography, the natural sciences, the art of persuasion, or just learning more about other cultures. All majors are welcome.
J-Term
J-Term is a special month-long period of study in January in which Carthage students take a single course on campus or join a study tour to another part of the world. The Political Science Department offers a number of J-Term courses and trips. Students have studied the politics, economics and culture of Argentina, Cuba, the Galapagos Islands, Russia and more.
Internships
One of the best ways to find a job in government is to obtain an internship that may lead to a paid position. Carthage faculty and The Aspire Center assist students in finding internships. In recent years, Carthage political science students have interned in the U.S. House of Representatives; worked at the Republican Governors Association in Washington, D.C., and interned with the U.S. Department of State in Rennes, France.
Scholarships and Awards
The Political Science Department offers awards every year to recognize exceptional work by students, including the Eric H. Olson and Anna Olson-Thom Scholarship and the Political Science Senior Recognition Award.
International Political Economy
For students interested in public policy in today’s global economy, Carthage offers a major in International Political Economy. This interdisciplinary program is designed for students who want to focus their work in political science, economics and business on the evolving web of today’s global relationships. Students majoring in IPE take courses in business, economics, geography, modern languages, political science, and social science.
Learn more about Carthage’s International Political Economy Major
Wisconsin Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies
Carthage is a member of the Wisconsin Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies. The institute is a unique and vital consortium of private and public colleges and universities dedicated to enriching academic and public discourse on issues of peace and conflict. The Institute is non-partisan and encourages debate and discussion of multiple perspectives, not only of foreign policy issues and global areas of conflict, but also of intercultural communication, gender relations, and environmental sustainability.